Targeting Congress president Sonia Gandhi, yoga guru Baba Ramdev on Wednesday blamed the party high command for pressing the Himachal Pradesh government to cancel the land lease of Patanjali Yogpeeth at Sadhupul in Solan district.
He said the government's act of cancelling the land
lease, which had been granted under provisions of the law, showed that it was making all-out attempts to reduce democracy to dictatorship.

Addressing a gathering of his followers and members of Bharat Swabhiman in the town, Ramdev said, "I have come to Himachal to exhibit the power and sentiments of the people over a crucial issue."

Earlier, hundreds of followers accorded a welcome to Ramdev at Parwanoo, Dharampur and various parts of the town, where he appealed to them to start a war against anti-people policies of any party.

The yoga guru, who was scheduled to arrive here at 2pm, reached three hours late.

Lauding chief minister Virbhadra Singh for not making any adverse remarks, he said the yogpeeth wanted to serve people of the hill state, but the Congress high command was trying to prevent him from launching projects that would help farmers and other people by way of generating direct and indirect employment in the region.

"I have full faith in the country's judicial system and we will certainly win the war waged against us by the Congress," he said.

On Sonia Gandhi, Ramdev said it appeared that she was focusing more on Italy rather than India's welfare.

"People should remember that all big scams, including Bofors, Commonwealth Games and Choppergate, surfaced during the Congress regime. It was only the Congress which resisted my campaign against black money, corruption and other issues," he said.

He added, "Gandhi is not the owner of the land leased out to us by the previous BJP government. Hence, she must realise that the original owners of the land are from Himachal Pradesh."

Exhorting followers and other people to extend wholehearted support, he said, "It is now a conflict between deities and demons - Devasur Sangram as the cancellation of land lease is anti-people and anti-national."

Slamming the UPA government over Acharya Balakrishna's arrest, Ramdev said if his aide's passport was issued in violation of rules, then why was the government mum over the issue for two years.

Terming the cancellation of land lease a conspiracy, Balkrishna thanked the CM for allowing them to enter the state, adding that the yogpeeth was being established with the sole aim of serving the hill people instead of making it a commercial venture.

Expressing anguish over the manner in which the government took control of the land and buildings, he said at least a showcause notice should have been issued to them for filing a reply.

"Indira Holiday Home was established in 1966. Why did successive governments remain silent for more than four decades," he asked.